Cruising and Missing School

[BeeSkip]

Okay everyone, I need your help!!!

My kids are on spring break in March.....My sister's son has spring break at Easter. I want her to come with us on the Magic next year during the March spring break and take her son out of school. He is in 7th grade, an excellent student, responsible and would do all the work necessary. My sister is VERY SKEPTICAL to take him out of school, instead she wants me to take my two( 5th grade and 11th grade) out of school during the Easter week. I see no benefit to this because the rates are much higher at Easter. March seems to be a better time to cruise. Then she suggests summer. Well, the cruise doubles in price. We even thought about Christmas/ New years but the cruise is so much more and I heard that the seas can be rough then and you may miss a port of call. Help me with suggestions, arguements to convince her to book a cruise with us. We are currently booked on the 3-13-04 Magic. Thanks, Bee

 

[mobetsy]

Well, we are booked on the 3/20/04 Magic, and we're taking our older son out of school for the week! He will only be in 3rd grade, so it's not such a big thing, but we still thought about it quite a bit before making the decision. We are in the same situation as you: our spring break is the week before Easter, and because I'm a pastor that week doesn't work for me. The week we have booked is when the friends with whom we'll be travelling have vacation.

I work at a school, and I talked to a number of teachers about this, explaining that we couldn't consider spring break. Almost unanimously (there was one holdout who is notorious for thinking her students have no life beyond the classroom), they said, "Go for it. No, it's not ideal. But life with your young kids is too short to miss an opportunity to make memories for a lifetime." They said it would help if they knew well in advance and he did that week's work ahead of time, rather than trying to make it up after returning.

 

[sigafoos]

We just returned from our 3-22 Magic cruise and we pulled our 15ds(freshman in HS) for 6 days. His sister is in college with a different spring break and we felt she could not miss a week there. His teachers were all great and he had a little math to do and now that he is home he has a little more . Our school has classes that are longer but each one is every other day, periods 1,3,5 one day and 2,4,6 the other so he only missed 3 from each class. In April 2001 we pulled them both out for a week(ds 7th grade and dd 11th) It is hard enough these days to find time to be a family and do things together let alone do it when the schools decide to have a break, not everyone can take their vacations then. They grow up and leave so fast I say take the time now as it will be gone, you can make up school work but you can't reclain lost family memories!
Kim

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Hi Bee.

Help me with suggestions, arguements to convince her to book a cruise with us.

Your sister has reasons as valid to her point of view as yours are to you. I, myself, would take my son out of school in March. HOWEVER, I commend your sister for placing education first. Perhaps you can find a time when school is not in session that is equally convenient (or inconvenient) for both of you?

Wishing your families a most enjoyable cruise.

 

[mmouse37]

I have always taken my three kids out of school and they have never fallen behind. I let the school know ahead of time and as long as they make up their work, the teachers are fine about it. Some school districts will not let you take your kids out of school, fortunately are school district is a bit more lenient.

We took our two HS kids out of school for a week in January to cruise and we are taking one of them (the freshman) out again when we sail this May. The way I look at it...I cannot see how missing two weeks of school in a year is going to vastly affect the rest of her life!! Time is too short now (you can tell my views have changed a bit more since 9/11). My husband is still on 12-16 hour tours almost every day of the week...my kids never get to see him anymore since 9/11 (he is Port Authority Police in NYC and they are always on high alert) and he can only get specific weeks off, if any this year. We need to spend time as a family so we are going. My older son chooses not to come with us this time because he is involved in a sport and does not want to miss that. My older DD is already done with college by May and my HS freshman knows she can make up the work.

MJ

 

[imgoingtodisney]

This past Nov DSs 5th grd teachers thought it was a wonderful opportunity to cruise to St Thomas & St Marten. Plans got "changed" and we ended up at WDW. The teachers didnt know until we got back because plans were "changed" after DS left school for vaca. Still had him do a trip report about the countries by using EpCot instead.

 

[kajohn]

I think it depends on the school/teachers and the child. We took my stepson out of 4th grade this year, and while he's an excellent student, it was just too stressful on him, doing double homework the week before and after the cruise. We will be traveling over school holidays from now on.

When we went this past year, we met a family at the terminal that had a high school age girl. She had a giant duffel bag on her back that seemed very heavy. The mom said "it's full of school books, some vacation she is going to have!"

One alternative you may have, is to travel together on a cruise on a different line over the summer or christmas when you are both off. The price on the RCCL Voyager class ships will be about the same for a holiday or summer week as you would pay for a DCL cruise in March. If you still want to sail DCL you can sail individually with your own families during their breaks.

 

[Julma]

We always took our kids out when they were younger. Depending on the teacher, their work load when they got back varied from a little to A LOT. Our town has a policy that from grade 6 up, five unexcused absenses (which a vacation is) and the child fails all their classes. I would love to have someone challenge the legality of this. It really takes parental decision right out of the equation. I think you know your children best and can make the right decision based on each child.

 

[Laz]

As a teacher, I do feel that the child loses some important class time when they are out of school. With that said, I believe that children can be pulled and still catch up when they return. My suggestion is to contact each teacher VERY early so that the teacher can prepare a lesson plan for the child. I give the parents a choice for the child. Either they can take work with them or spend extra time making it up after they return. Notice I said "parents." Students will always say wait, but that may not be in the best interest of the child. It depends on the child and what other teachers are doing. Students these days like to wait until the last minute to finish things, and that hurts grades.

 

[my3kids]

We took our 7th grader out for a week last November and will again next year for the March 13th '04 western trip. The school was great. He did a lot in advance and got the rest finished in the car. Also took out elementary students, but I wasn't as worried about that as middle school. I won't do it anymore in high school though.

 

[woody64]

We cruised on the 2/22 Magic and took our son out of school. He is only in 2nd grade so it is not so bad but we chose a week where they had parent/teacher conferences and institute days for the teachers. He only missed 2 1/2 days by planning it this way. We are currently booked for the 2/21/04 Magic which once again he will only miss 2 1/2 days. Is something like this possible where maybe they don't miss an entire week?

woody64

 

[Bev J]

We have taken our 4 kids out of school at various times for family vacations. Some teachers cooperate with giving the kids their work ahead of time some did not. When we have it ahead of time the kids worked on it on the plane down and spent 1 hour each day with school work. This worked fine for us and they usually did not have to work the plane ride home, they slept!
We have 2 kids home now 16 and 8 and will contine to vacation, it is important to have concentrated fun family time. Our school system has 1 week off at the end of each quarter so we try to plan our vacations around this, we won't go over holidays or summer, it too expensive. We also try to plan around times when the kids might have 1=2 days already off and just take a couple of additional days, it is easier to miss 3 than 5-6 days.
I grew up in a military family and we were always moving and missing school we worked it out. We also traveled alot and probably learned more in our travels than we did in school.
Have a great cruise, your sis should talk to the teachers and see how they feel, but it is really her choice for her child.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

We took our DD13 and DD11 out twice. Once Feb 2000 and Nov 2002 (cancelled Magic) both times for a week. They are good students and DW is very active in the school. The teachers were very accomadating and gave very little homework. I too work many hours and those ten days each time were definate much needed family time. Their teachers each time thought that in todays world of divorce and dual income families and children being put on the back burner for adults selfish reasons that it was great! There are certain things that you can't learn in the classroom and those two trips are a perfect example of that. How many kids on the South Side of Chicago get to snorkle in Dec? In freeport a Bahemian vendor gave my DD13 an extra bahemian dollar change and explained everything on the dollar. Learn that in a classroom! I'm taking them back out in Nov 2003 for the 7 day eastern they missed out on last year.

 

[mamagoggle]

I wrestled with that decision myself on on first Disney land/sea vacation in March 2001. My DS was in 5th grade and my DD in 2nd. I have always stressed the importance of school and education but when it came right down to it, they got much more out of the vacation than they would have in school for that week.
It was their first plane ride, first trip to WDW, first time on a cruise ship and first time leaving the country. On top of this, we traveled with grandparents and my brother and his family so it was great time together with extended family. They were able to make up the work easily and most of the teachers were fine with it. (One was definitley not happy with us and did not make my ds's return easy at all).
The trip worked out so well for us that we will be repeating it in March of 2004 with the original group plus another brother and his family. Between the price difference, wanting to avoid the crowds at the park and the temperature difference between March and the summer in WDW, the missing of school is definitely worth it for us. Standing in long lines at the parks during the heat of a Florida summer would have been torture.
We are all eagerly counting down to our next trip on the Wonder!

 

[joeveg]

Hi Bee:

Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth.

We took my 2 daughters out of school for a short (3 day) trip last year to the Florida Keys. Both their teachers were great about it, and got together a number of worksheets so the kids wouldn't miss too much. I was a bit hesitant, but it worked out great.

WE had our oldest (Age 9) do a video report on dolphin training to present to her class when we got back. She had to interview one of the trainers at Hawk's Cay, did some research on the internet before the trip, filmed the trainer with the dolphin ( as well as got some footage of her with the dolphin), and presented the report to her class on her return. It gave her some experience speaking in front of a crowd, and her teacher tied the report into a few lessons on environmentalism.

The youngest (Age 5 ) brought a seashell collection back, used it for "Show and Tell" and then gave each member of the class a shell to keep.

They both caught up quickly, and were motivated to keep up on their work for months before the trip.

We will be taking them out of school for lans/sea trip this May. We had spoken to their teachers several times before final booking, to be sure that they thought the kids could handle the make-up work. I think if the teachers had expressed serious concerns, we might have re-considered. I think, however, that our kids can benefit from outside learning experiences even during school. Maybe this year, they can each do a report on one of the countries represented at EPCOT or on one the animals at AK.

Hope this helps.

 

[Incharge]

What would you do if your cruise was Sept 6? Would you send your child(3rd grade) to school 9/2-5, and take them out the week of 9/6-12, or would you keep them out and start them from Mon. 9/15? My daughter is trying to decide.Please help! Thanks.

 

[WHITEHC]

We are cruising 5/17/03 and my DS in 7th grade will miss 7 days of school. I scheduled this cruise around End Of Grade testing, but with so many snow days, the tests will now take place the week we are gone. Normally, a child can't be excused that week for any absence other than major illness, but after talking with the principal he has arranged for my son to take his tests after school is out for the summer. He said to go and have a good time. I know he didn't have to offer that, especially since it requires two teachers to be present for the 3 days my son will be tested. My son won't even have any work to make up for the 7 days he will miss! Yea!
Last year we cruised the first week school was out for the summer, but prices are much cheaper earlier in May.
Have fun whenever you go!

 

[westjones]

Incharge,
If the child isn't already registered at the school, I would wait and do it after the cruise. If they are already enrolled, then wouldn't they be counted missing/absent all those days?

The reason I would not enroll them until after the cruise is because here, where we live, kids can only miss 7 or 9 days (I forget which it is). This is counted after enrollment. So if they don't enroll until after the cruise, they won't have any missed days.

DJ

 

[mamagoggle]

incharge

That's a rough one. Personally, I think I would have the child attend that first week and then leave so that thay would at least be familiar with the classroom and their classmates before going. I think it would be harder to be the only person "new" to the classroom and routine later on.

 

[jrabbit]

First a vent - GENERALLY - the teachers that complain the most about you taking your child out of school are the ones who don't have a problem missing 2 or 3 days of school each month themselves to do personal things that they could do on the numerous days that classes are not in session.

My DS (in middle school) hated our last cruise when we took him out of class last year (well until we got to the first port - and hated is much to strong of word, but he was NOT a happy camper) - not because he was missing school - but missing sports!! So now we make sure we work around them.

As far as making up homework - here it is somewhat of a joke. DS was out a day with an illness, and later a couple of days with a broken bone. Both time we got his homework from the teachers and he had completed most of it by the time he returned to school (just had a couple of questions on some new material). Well, both times he was about a week ahead of the class (remember only out for one or two days, right now and he is ahead of the class - go figure). The good thing about that was that he had already done his homework

If your child is an above average student - missing a week will not make a difference. As they reach high school, I beleive that it gets harder - but it is still doable. You can find out your schools calendar and try to go when they already will be having a short day or a day off and cut down on the amount of school missed.